Vietnam targets 5G nationwide coverage this year

THE HANOI TIMES — The Ministry of Science and Technology plans to extend 5G coverage to 90% of the population by the end of 2025 from current 26%.

Vietnam expects to deploy more than 68,000 5G base stations this year alone, equivalent to 57.5% of current 4G stations and sufficient to meet the coverage goal.

To accelerate deployment, National Assembly Resolution No. 193 introduced a pilot funding scheme. Mobile carriers that install 20,000 additional 5G stations before December 31, 2025, are eligible for a 15% subsidy on equipment costs. Two major telecom providers have already registered to be recipients.

During the ministry’s mid-year review, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung said that digital infrastructure is as important as transportation and energy infrastructure for Vietnam’s transformation.

“Nationwide 5G coverage must be in place by the end of the year, with minimum mobile speeds of 100 Mbps and fiber internet of at least 200 Mbps,” he said.

Since the launch of commercial 5G services last October, Vietnam’s mobile internet speed has jumped from 71 Mbps to 146 Mbps, lifting the country from 44th to within the global top 20 in Ookla’s Speedtest ranking.

According to second quarter 2025 data from i-Speed, Vietnam’s average mobile data speed reached 75.19 Mbps. Viettel led with 83.6 Mbps, followed by VNPT with 70.71 Mbps, and MobiFone with 52.47 Mbps.

Viettel currently has eight million 5G subscribers and plans to install over 22,000 new base stations this year, which would bring its total to nearly 29,000. Its 4G coverage now surpasses its 2G coverage, thanks in part to its recent acquisition of the 700 MHz spectrum.

Meanwhile, MobiFone plans to expand 5G to major cities and industrial zones while gradually expanding services to rural areas. The operator said it will continue developing a 5G service ecosystem to accelerate commercialization.